RON SMOKER WINS MOD TOUR OPENER AT TRI-CITY; LYNCH AND DELLINGER ALSO TOP DOGS;
EXLEY WINS FIRST OF HIS CAREER IN STOCKS
by Brian Spaid
FRANKLIN, PA ... Glorious Memorial Day Weekend weather delighted the crowd Sunday night at Tri-City Speedway as Ron Smoker captured the win in the 30-lap BRP Modified Tour race for the Schwab's Ford DIRT Modifieds. In other action, Ed Lynch Jr. (NorthPointe Automotive Super Sprints), Alan Dellinger (RE/MAX E Mods) and Danny Exley (E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating) also won feature events at the Venango County half-mile oval as a record total of 136 cars packed the pit area.
In the DIRT Modified main, Ron Smoker of Hamburg, N.Y., won his second career feature at Tri-City. He won the 2001 Mod Madness Kodiak Memorial 50 last September, and his most recent victory was his second BRP Modified Tour feature win in a row. The Empire State racer also has two wins each this season at Mercer Raceway Park and Sharon Speedway.
"We like running here," said Smoker in victory lane beside his Mullen Industrial Tire/Pennzoil Teo Pro Car No. 62R. "This track's been good to us and it was in real good shape tonight. We've had a lot of success in this area, and we hope to make it back here a few more times."
Smoker started on the outside pole and immediately dashed into the lead, which he never relinquished. The early laps were slowed by two multi-car accidents. By the 10th circuit, Smoker was leading last week's winner Andy Priest, Kevin Bolland and four-time track champion Brian Swartzlander.
The last 22 laps of the race were caution-free, and Smoker outdistanced the field for the win. Behind him, the top six drivers ran nose-to-tail biding time as the laps clicked down. Priest barely held off Bolland and Swartzlander at the end of the race. In lapped traffic, Bolland was outside Priest twice, but Bolland's last attempt to snare second caused him to drift high enough to allow Swartzlander into third on the last lap.
At the finish. Smoker was the winner over Priest, Swartzlander and Bolland while Jeff Schaffer beat Jim Weller by inches at the line for fifth. Bolland, Joe Crawford, Weller and Smoker were the winners of the DIRT Modified heats. Dave Schrader and 2001 BRP Modified Tour Champion Dave Murdick won the B Mains.
Ed Lynch Jr. of Apollo, Pa., and Brian Ellenberger engaged in a stirring duel for the victory in the 20-lap Super Sprint main. In the end, Lynch came out on top for his first win of the season in his Indy Recycling J&J No. 2L.
"The car, engine and tires all ran good tonight," said Lynch after his 11th career win at Tri-City. "This track was beautiful. It was the most fun I've had racing all year. Ellenberger was tough. I'll have to see if he was using my setup!"
Rob Eyler led the first four laps of the race before Lynch swept by on the outside to take the lead. Ellenberger followed Lynch past Eyler, then surprised the second generation racer with an outside pass for the lead off turn four on the eighth lap. Lynch stayed tight to Ellenberger after two restarts, then slid under him in turn two on the 14th lap. Lynch dashed through lapped traffic and raced to the popular win unchallenged.
Ellenberger finished second over Eyler and Chad Hill. Jimmy Hawley defeated Jody Keegan for fifth at the finish. Keegan passed Hawley with two laps to go, but the 1999 track champion used his vast experience at Tri-City to top the Buckeye State driver on the last lap.
Two wild flips by Brent Covell and Mike Lutz marred the race. Both drivers were uninjured. Rod George, Hawley and Tommy Quarterson captured the heat race wins. Gregg McCandless won the B Main in a fine drive for the sophomore Super Sprint racer. Ben Moore took a tumble in turn two during the B Main. Moore was taken to Northwest Medical Center in Franklin where he was treated and released.
After winning Saturday's York Triathlon E Mod race at Sharon Speedway, Alan Dellinger of Niles, Ohio, easily topped the field at Tri-City. Taking the lead from Shawn Domhoff on the fourth circuit of the 15-lap E Mod main, Dellinger raced to his seventh career win at Tri-City while driving the 84 Lumber Lazer No. 119 normally piloted by Chad McClellan.
"We were trying to decide whether to have a cookout or go racing this afternoon, and racing won out," smiled Dellinger. "We had a carburetor problem all night, and the tires wouldn't spin off the turns. The track conditions suited us perfect."
While Dellinger dominated out front, Ron Jaeger finished a career-best second. Shawn Shingledecker nearly grabbed the runnerup position, but ran over some debris on the final corner and blew a tire. He still crossed the line in third over Russ Dempsey and Domhoff. Mike Potosky and Dellinger were victorious in the heats races.
Danny Exley of Rocky Grove, Pa., avoided an 11-car accident at the start of the 15-lap Stock Car main as well as a mid-race battle with perennial winner Bobby Whitling to score his first career win in his Dahlstrom Iron and Metal/Wooden Nickel Chevrolet No. 23H. The victory was popular with many fans, which watched Exley struggle for a long time before finally capturing an elusive feature win.
"It's taken six years to get here," said Exley in victory lane. "When Bobby got past, I thought it was over. When he fell out, I couldn't believe it. I'd like to thank all the people that have helped me."
Taking the lead from Andy Buckley on the second lap, Exley found Whitling beside him four laps later. Whitling took the lead for a brief moment before Exley charged back to the front. Whitling's car suddenly failed on the seventh lap. After that, it was clear sailing for Exley. He survived a late caution to snare the win. Buckley finished second over defending track champion Ron Iorio, Bruce Smith and Darrell Bossard. Doug Iorio Sr., Tom Scott, Whitling and Jason Reagle won the heats. Arthur Edwards and Kevin Thompson were the B Main winners.
This coming Sunday June 2nd, Tri-City Speedway hosts another four-division show, but it will be different from the normal program. As announced last weekend, the NorthPointe Automotive Super Sprints will be in action for their first York Triathlon Super Sprint Series event of 2002. In support of Victim's Resource Center, Inc., female drivers in the Ladies Mod Tour charity event will pilot the Schwab's Ford DIRT Modifieds. The E.F. Rogers Plumbing & Heating Stock Cars will compete in their first Anderson Bldg. Detroit Iron Series race of the season. The RE/MAX E Mods were also added to the show after all the rainouts at the beginning of the season. Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. Adult grandstand admission for this special event will be $12.
SUPER SPRINTS (20 Laps): 1. ED LYNCH JR., 2. Brian Ellenberger, 3. Rob Eyler, 4. Chad Hill, 5. Jimmy Hawley, 6. Jody Keegan, 7. Jarod Larson, 8. Tommy Quarterson, 9. Shawn Chaney, 10. Jack Sodeman Jr., 11. Jason Jacoby, 12. Rod George, 13. Goob Schuller, 14. Ricky Ferkel, 15. Daryl Stimeling, 16. Scott Priester, 17. Brent Matus, 18. Jeff Banyas, 19. Gregg McCandless, 20. Gary Rankin, 21. Ray Bullis, 22. Mike Lutz, 23. Brent Covell, 24. Kevin Andrusky. DNQ: Paul Kish, Butch Beasley, Bobby Clark, Gary McCollum, Sheila Rankin, Ben Moore, Josh Wells, Ed Etzel, Brian Hartzell, Gale Ruth.
DIRT MODIFIEDS (30 Laps): 1. RON SMOKER, 2. Andy Priest, 3. Brian Swartzlander, 4. Kevin Bolland, 5. Jeff Schaffer, 6. Jim Weller, 7. Dave Murdick, 8. Bob Dorman, 9. Kevin Hoffman, 10. Josh Skarzenski, 11. Joe Crawford, 12. Gary Risch Jr., 13. Skip Moore, 14. Gerry Bruce, 15. Rick Hall, 16. Ralph Spithaler Jr., 17. Dave Schrader, 18. Les Myers, 19. Carl Murdick, 20. George Hobaugh, 21. Chris Schiffer, 22. Guy Griffin, 23. Jeff Hoffman, 24. Jim Rasey. DNQ: Rodney Beltz, Rex King, Rob Kristyak, Jim Weller III, Del Rougeux Jr., Dean Pearson, J.R. McGinley, Jeff Miller, Lonny Riggs, Ed Alcorn, Chanda Reitz, Harold Michaels, Jeremiah Shingledecker, Randy Chronister, Steve Barr, Adam Siegel, Mark Frankhouser, Tom Mattocks Jr., Allen Ferry, Justin Broerman, Lee Miller, Brian Fink,
E MODS (15 Laps): 1. ALAN DELLINGER, 2. Ron Jaeger, 3. Shawn Shingledecker, 4. Russ Dempsey, 5. Shawn Domhoff, 6. Kari Petrosky, 7. Mike Potosky, 8. Butch Lambert, 9. Mike Samuelson, 10. Brian Taft, 11. Jim Abbott, 12. Steve Artrip, 13. Jeff Christy, 14. Dave Ferry, 15. Bill Taylor, 16. Bruce Powell.
STOCK CARS (15 Laps): 1. DANNY EXLEY, 2. Andy Buckley, 3. Ron Iorio, 4. Bruce Smith, 5. Darrell Bossard, 6. Gary Norman, 7. David Atkinson, 8. Tom Scott, 9. Jason Reagle, 10. Dave Ferringer, 11. Dick Pascorell, 12. Kevin Thompson, 13. Arthur Edwards, 14. Jay Feely, 15. Jason Johns, 16. Rick Lanigan, 17. Gary Sullivan, 18. Bob Sloss, 19. Doug Iorio Sr., 20. Bobby Whitling, 21. Jamie Shetler, 22. Steve D'Apolito, 23. Martin Iorio, 24. Joe Lockhart. DNQ: Lonny Blair, John Sutley, Frank Johnson, Rod Laskey, Denny Crawford, John Shetler, Bret McCarthy, Brian Hurt, Bob Bean, Andy Miller, John Muron, Scotty Carbaugh, John Beniston, Doug Calvert, Jesse Armstrong, Rod Urey.